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The LT apparently did his job last year and Roethlisberger still got blasted....

Watch the play again where Ben injured his rib. Starks had a good clean block on Hali until Colon came in and knocked Starks off his man. This freed Hali to make a charge right at Roethlisberger along with LB Houston on the other side.

Gilby's gonna be fine at LT. I wish Max was here for insurance or to give Gilby competition. But Gilby is quicker than strong and has the mobility to play LT just fine. Adams is the perfect fit on the right because he's a beast when he's run blocking and looks challenged pass blocking on the left.

Mike Adams confirms he's been playing right tackle during Steelers OTAs

By Neal Coolong on May 29 2013

Marcus Gilbert remains the Steelers' top option at left tackle so far through the Football in Shorts portion of the offseason program. Mike Adams confirmed he's been exclusively on the right side so far.

Steelers offensive tackle Mike Adams looked sweaty, that's for sure.

As for his specific comments regarding which position he'll play this season - a topic of speculation as the Steelers gear up for the 2013 season - he looked a bit colder.

In an interview posted on the Steelers web site, Adams was asked if he expects to be playing right tackle this season. He responded with, "As of now, yeah."

That essentially confirms Marcus Gilbert remains at left tackle, and while it may be a bit premature to suggest Adams won't get any looks there at all, it's hard to ignore how dominant Adams looked at times in the running game on the right side last year.

Pass protection was another story, especially when he was facing then-Ravens outside linebacker Paul Kruger. But that's beside the point.

If this is a move toward the ultimate decision of who will be the Steelers' starting left tackle this season, it was made before Football in Shorts began. Perhaps Adams' is simply a better player on the right side. As any young Steelers tackle should know, playing both - as well as either guard position - isn't just a good idea, it's a likely move in their career arc.

If consistency and a solid left tackle are necessities for a good offensive line, the Steelers had both last season with Max Starks.

A case easily could be made he was their best offensive lineman in 2012, even though center Maurkice Pouncey was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl. What's more, Starks was the only offensive lineman to take every snap last season -- a rarity on a line that seems to be juggled annually because of injuries.

But Starks was part of a house-cleaning in an offseason that saw the Steelers get rid of three of their top six offensive linemen, leaving what is considered the most important position on the line to be handled by Marcus Gilbert, a second-round draft choice in 2011 who has played mostly on the right side.

Gilbert also is coming off a nasty ankle injury in which the tendon tore away from the bone, causing him to miss 11 games and eventually be placed on injured reserve.

"They know what I'm capable of from what they've seen from me in the past," Gilbert said. "To be that left tackle, they have to have a lot of confidence, and I feel like they have that in me."

The Steelers have not always been sure what they have in Gilbert.

They were so upset with his conditioning and attitude in his first training camp that they had Pouncey, his friend and college teammate at Florida, try to motivate him. It was Pouncey who recommended the Steelers draft Gilbert.

Gilbert started 13 games as a rookie after right tackle Willie Colon sustained a season-ending injury in the opening game, but there were times when the coaches wondered about his durability and ability to play through nagging injuries.

Gilbert changed some of that opinion in 2012 when he injured his knee in the second quarter of the season opener in Denver and did not return. But he played the following week against the Jets and started the next four games until the serious ankle injury that ended his season.

Despite that, the Steelers did not re-sign Starks and handed the job to Gilbert, who prefers playing left tackle rather than the right side.

"The quarterback has to trust me," Gilbert said. "If he doesn't have your trust and he doesn't trust you, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in right now."

Gilbert said he is fully recovered from his ankle injury and worked hard to come to training camp in great shape. But it didn't appear that way Friday after the annual run test when he dropped to the turf and had to be attended to by several teammates. He eventually was carted from the field.

Gilbert said his body was cramping and he had no difficulty making it through the conditioning test.

"I could have walked off," Gilbert said. "I've been training very hard this summer to come to camp in tremendous shape. I'm ready to be the left tackle. I know what I'm capable of doing."

Gilbert is listed at 6 feet 6, 330 pounds, but the Steelers had him lose weight in the offseason because they want their offensive linemen to be lighter, more athletic and able to get around the edge. That is all part of wanting to implement some zone-blocking schemes in their attack.

"He's been working his butt off this season and I think everybody sees that," Pouncey said. "Coach told him to come in and lose weight and he did it. He looks good."

Big Ben looks good in return

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, saying his right knee does not bother him, took his regular turn in the first full practice of camp and said he felt fine.

Roethlisberger did not appear to have any difficulty throwing, though he did underthrow wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders on a couple go-routes.

Roethlisberger had cleanup surgery in his right knee just before minicamp. Coach Mike Tomlin said Friday his quarterback experienced some discomfort in his knee, which is why he held him out of the run test.

"It was his first day, I thought he looked good," Tomlin said after the afternoon practice. "I thought everybody looked good. But I'm not rushing to judge. It's still football in shorts for us."

The Steelers cannot begin practicing with pads until Monday.

Rain dampers day for fans

Less than an hour after they arrived on the field for the first full practice of camp, the players were chased back to the locker room because of a severe weather warning. Fans also were cleared from Chuck Noll Field and told to seek shelter.

Approximately 45 minutes later, the players returned to complete practice, but with a much smaller crowd.

Earlier in the day, the Steelers completed their morning workout in a heavy rain, minus the thunder and lighting.

"They were able to maintain their focus and have a productive outing," Tomlin said of the players. "It was great to be on the field and great to see the fans here. I'm sorry the weather prevented them from enjoying it in its entirety."

Learning curve for Wheaton

The coaches are eager to see rookie wide receiver Markus Wheaton because he was unable to work out with the team in the offseason due to rules restricting underclassmen.

And Wheaton, a third-round choice from Oregon State, is eager to catch up with the rest of his teammates after missing so much.

"Getting chemistry with the guys, working with Ben, learning the playbook ... getting to do all that stuff," Wheaton said. "I learned it, but I haven't heard it in the huddle and there's a difference. I'm very excited."

It's possible the Steelers could use Wheaton in much the same manner they employed Chris Rainey, who was released in January, in 2012 -- lining him up at running back or motioning him to the quarterback. In addition to catching 227 passes for 2,994 yards in 49 games at Oregon State, Wheaton also rushed 83 times for 631 yards and five touchdowns.

"I'm not sure yet," Wheaton said. "I've been told to learn multiple positions and that's all I've been doing. I guess we'll see when I get on the field."

If the Steelers ever have to rely on Adams to protect Ben's blind side for an extended period of time...Ben better get some good life insurance. Adams isn't a LT. He is a solid run blocking RT...questionable pass protector on either side. If Adams is going to grow as a lineman it will be on the right side.